Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Eagles offensive assistants Press Taylor and Aaron Moorehead will miss Philadelphia’s game against the Browns
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The Philadelphia Eagles released their final injury report for the team’s game against the Cleveland Browns and Rudy Ford is the only player that’ll be ruled out. The Eagles had two offensive coaches land on the report, as passing game coordinator Press Taylor and wide receivers coach, Aaron Moorehead won’t make the trip due to COVID-19 protocols.
#PHIvsCLE Status Report pic.twitter.com/LNtJBIfryD
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 20, 2020
Jalen Hurts says he’s focused on being a QB and not a gadget player
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Jalen Hurts is all for doing what’s best for the team but the Eagles rookie quarterback out of Oklahoma has no intention of buying into the narrative that he’s the next Taysom Hill.
Just how the Eagles plan to utilize the athletic Hurts has been the looming question for months, but one thing is clear and that’s Hurts whole-heartedly believing he’s a quarterback. During his recent zoom sit down with Eagles media, Hurts made it clear in strong verbiage, that he’s a quarterback and solely focused on improving.
Eagles rookie QB Jalen Hurts on whether he could play a role this season other than at QB and / or contribute with gadget plays @6abc #JalenHurts pic.twitter.com/5taA7KtFjU
— Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) August 9, 2020
Hurts has made it clear that he’s “played quarterback his, entire life,” and he’s simply trying to grow at the position.
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Philadelphia Eagles 6 best moves from a busy offseason
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While some other NFL teams went out and made the normal blockbuster deals, the Philadelphia Eagles quietly and efficiently set out to improve their organization from a coaching, player and personnel standpoint.
Several big moves helped encompass this offseason, but we broke down the six best moves from the Eagles busy 2020 NFL offseason.
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Slay was impressive last year despite some down statistics on a bad team and yet his performance against some of the NFL’s best would be highlight-reel performances for some other cornerbacks.
Darius Slay shadows in 2019 pic.twitter.com/hJpzo0NWvo
— Jeff Ratcliffe (@JeffRatcliffe) March 19, 2020
Slay finally gives the Eagles an Alpha-cornerback who can mirror the opposing team’s top receiving weapon and a guy who can make a play with the game on the line.
Slay’s 85 forced incompletions since 2014 are the most in the NFL over that span as well.
Eagles offense is No. 12 in a ranking of all 32 NFL teams by The Athletic
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The Philadelphia Eagles are a little over a month away from unveiling a retooled offense against the Washington Football Team and speed will be on display after an impressive draft haul.
The Eagles return Miles Sanders and Boston Scott in the backfield with star quarterback Carson Wentz but added blazers in Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins. With a healthy DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery and JJ Arcega-Whiteside added to the combo of Ertz and Goedert, the Eagles have the making of an explosive, quick scoring offense.
The Athletic recently ranked all 32 NFL offenses and the Birds landed just outside the top-10 at No. 12 on the list.
12. Philadelphia Eagles
Last year: 14th
The Doug Pederson/Carson Wentz battery offers a strong foundation, and the Eagles have talented players like Miles Sanders and Zach Ertz to go along with a solid offensive line. But wide receiver remains a question. They decided to take a bunch of swings and are hoping that a couple will connect. If DeSean Jackson can stay healthy for 12 games or so, and first-round pick Jalen Reagor can contribute immediately, this offense has a top-five ceiling. If not, the Eagles are probably looking at a repeat of last year. One goal with Wentz will be to implement more play-action and bootleg schemes. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback on throws from outside the pocket last season. One area where he must improve: ball security. Wentz’s 48 fumbles since entering the league are tops among all quarterbacks.
If Wentz can get his ball-security issues under control and Jason Peters can transition to right guard, the Eagles should be in line for plenty of scoring opportunities.
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Carson Wentz looking forward to more run-pass options with Rich Scangarello on the coaching staff
The Eagles have a unique situation when it comes to managing Carson Wentz’s propensity for escaping the pocket.
Wentz is a really good athlete who can make things happen with his feet, but getting outside the pocket also puts the Eagles franchise signal-caller at risk of suffering an injury or a big hit.
In the offseason, the Eagles added new wrinkles to the offense when they promoted Press Taylor to passing game coordinator hired Rich Scangarello to the coaching staff as a senior offensive assistant. Scangarello has experience working with Kyle Shanahan and he was the offensive coordinator in Denver last season after previously working with Lamar Jackson during his rookie season in Baltimore.
The new wrinkles have made Carson Wentz excited and he told Dave Spadaro of the team’s official website that he’s looking forward to more run-pass options (RPO’s).
“I think some things will look a little different, but I’m really excited about it,” Wentz said Thursday afternoon during a video teleconference from the NovaCare Complex. “I think it’ll really complement what we (are) as an offense and who we are identity-wise.”
Wentz’s excitement stems from the Eagles likely incorporating more RPO’s, where the run game is mixed up with play-action and other facets to take advantage of Carson’s ability to make huge plays outside of the pocket.
Wentz made several of those big plays outside the pocket down the stretch, including his huge touchdown pass to Miles Sanders against Washington.
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Press Taylor wants the Eagles to have a quick scoring offense
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The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the top young coaching minds in the NFL on their staff and rather than let him hit the open market, Doug Pederson promoted Press Taylor to the role of passing game coordinator.
A big reason for that promotion stems from Taylor innovation in regards to the quick passing game, utilizing guys in open space and dictating matchups based on what’s in the best interest of Carson Wentz and the Eagles.
During a Friday zoom meeting, Taylor sounded less like a ground and pound play-caller and more like a guy who has spent time with Andy Reid and his Brother, Bengals coach Zac Taylor.
Press Taylor spoke like a coach who envisions the Eagles offense resembling the explosive potential of the 49ers or Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Press Taylor: We want to be known as an offense that pushes the ball downfield, can hit you with quick scoring drives. Think we have personnel for it. … Additions to staff bring great experience, add to what we already do … Jalen Hurts has been as advertised as a learner. pic.twitter.com/kMG61w4Szq
— Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf) July 31, 2020
Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins, and John Hightower offer the Eagles unique weapons that can all do damage in space. Mix that explosiveness in with the dynamic versatility of Ertz and Goedert, and the Eagles have the potential for a top-5 offense in 2020.
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Philadelphia Eagles land in the top-10 of a ranking of offensive weapons for all 32 NFL teams entering 2020 season
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The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the NFL’s most explosive rosters on paper, but the 2019 season clearly showed that injuries and inconsistency can derail even the best offense.
Howie Roseman utilized the 2020 offseason to increase the speed on the roster, trading for Marquise Goodwin, while also drafting Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins.
Throw in a healthy DeSean Jackson, a healthy JJ Arcega-Whiteside and the Eagles have something to add to the mix of Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Zach Ertz, and Dallas Goedert.
ESPN recently ranked the offensive weapons for all 32 NFL teams and even though they should have been higher, the Eagles landed in a great spot at No. 10 on the list.
10. Philadelphia Eagles
2019 rank: 4 | 2018 rank: 7On paper, the Eagles should be higher. At wide receiver, they can utilize two talented veterans (DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery), two highly drafted young players (JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor) and two speed demons (Marquise Goodwin and John Hightower). When you throw in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert at tight end, this should be one of the best receiving corps in the league.
Of course, that group has flaws. Jackson missed most of 2019 with a core injury, and his future with the team is uncertain after he posted anti-Semitic messages on social media. Jeffery suffered a Lisfranc injury in December, and he has no timetable for return. Arcega-Whiteside was a disaster as a rookie, averaging just 0.58 yards per route run while dealing with injuries and making mental mistakes. Goodwin has missed 12 games over the past two season with various injuries and personal absences. Reagor and Hightower are rookies. Chances are that one or two of these guys will turn out to be productive players, but there’s also a realistic chance that Philadelphia is frustrated by its wide receivers again in 2020.
The workload at running back will fall on Miles Sanders and Boston Scott, although it still seems likely that the Eagles will add at least one veteran back before the start of the regular season. Sanders narrowly topped 800 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards as a rookie. The list of backs to hit the 500-500 club as a rookie since the 1970 merger is pretty impressive: Sanders, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, Gio Bernard, Reggie Bush, Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Herschel Walker, Earl Cooper, and Billy Sims.
If Corey Clement and Alshon Jeffery can regain their magic from previous seasons, the sky is truly the limit in Philadelphia.
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7 Philadelphia Eagles who need to step up for Carson Wentz in 2020
The Philadelphia Eagles will enter the 2020 NFL season with championship aspirations and a quarterback on the hunt for his absolute respect around the league.
Wentz is one of the top-5 quarterbacks in the game, but all critics talk about are his eight games missed over the past three seasons including his first postseason start against the Seahawks last year.
Wentz can’t win another division title alone and in this breakdown, we’ll look at the seven Eagles who need to step up and do their part for the MVP candidate.
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Pryor spent two seasons learning the Eagles’ offense for this moment and was the Eagles’ choice to replace Brandon Brooks in the Birds Wild Card loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Originally selected by the Eagles in the 6th round (206th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, Pryor actually made his first career NFL start in place of an injured Brooks in that Wild Card game vs. Seattle.
An All-Big 12 honoree at TCU, Pryor will be called upon to help the Eagles maintain the distinction of being in the top-3 annually in both pass and run blocking. Pryor won’t be able to match Brandon Brooks’s production, but he’ll definitely need to hold up in the interior so Wentz can work his magic.
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Philadelphia Eagles ranked No. 23 in the NFL in continuity by ESPN
The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team in the NFC East not to undergo a coaching change and to a man, they believe such a scenario gives them an advantage over other NFL teams in 2020.
ESPN.com is saying not so fast.
In a ranking of organizational continuity based on free agency, the NFL draft, and players returning on both sides of the ball, the Eagles landed in the bottom half of the league.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: 70.9% snaps returning
Offensive snaps returning: 76.7% (18th)
Defensive snaps returning: 64.1% (23rd)
Starters returning: 18 (9 offense, 6 defense, 3 special teams)Non-coordinator assistants returning: 14 of 20
Coordinators returning: 2 of 3 (Jim Schwartz, DC; Dave Fipp, ST)
Starting QB: Carson Wentz, 5th year
Head coach: Doug Pederson, 5th year (38-26)
What it means: The Eagles are the only team in the division not changing head coaches and believe they’ll benefit from the consistency. Philly opted not to directly replace offensive coordinator Mike Groh but is hoping the promotion of up-and-comer Press Taylor to pass-game coordinator along with the additions of Rich Scangarello, Andrew Breiner, and Marty Mornhinweg to the staff will help fuse fresh concepts to a proven offense. — Tim McManus
The Eagles are missing players on both sides of the ball, but short of Nigel Bradham and Malcolm Jenkins, the losses are as detrimental as ESPN.com would have you believe. The Eagles got younger, acquired speed via the draft, and are returning both DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery.
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Dallas Goedert named the Philadelphia Eagles most underrated player of the 2020 NFL season
Dallas Goedert is one of the young stars in the NFL but the Eagles stud tight end apparently still isn’t getting the total recognition he deserves.
During a recent ranking of all 32 NFL teams most underrated player by Pro Football Focus, Goedert was the Eagles player of interest.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: TE DALLAS GOEDERT
When you enter the NFL in the shadow of one of the league’s best tight ends, it’s easy to be somewhat overlooked. That is the case with Goedert, who was immediately thrust into a role as TE2 despite being taken in the second round out of South Dakota State. The Eagles have run a heavy dose of two tight end sets to get both him and Zach Ertz on the field, and it’s pretty clear from those snaps that Goedert is a top-end TE in the NFL.Since 2018, Goedert actually ranks fifth among qualifying tight ends in overall grade, ahead of Ertz. A big reason — outside of the obvious mismatch threats he poses as a receiver — is his elite play as a blocker for the position. Goedert’s 81.4 run-blocking grade sits sandwiched between Maxx Williams and George Kittle for second at the position over that same span. He is a complete tight end who would be a high-level primary option on most rosters in the NFL.
Ertz is the big dawg in terms of name recognition and status, but it’s Goedert who helps make the engine go via pass-catching and run blocking. Goedert is a top-ten tight end and we’ll have every right to demand significant compensation when his turn arises. At times last season, Goedert ranked seventh at the position despite not being a deep threat. On targets of less than 10 yards downfield, Goedert was PFF’s third-highest-graded tight end, and he was second in yards after the catch per reception at 8.6. Combine that with his run blocking prowess and Howie Roseman has a decision to make.
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